Newly Composed Tunes and Songs in the Irish Tradition
The fifteen tracks in our audio playlist this month are a selected snapshot of newly composed tunes and songs commercially released by Irish traditional musicians and singers between autumn 2015 and spring 2016. The collection highlights the wide spectrum and diversity present in contemporary Irish traditional music and song. Performers/composers featured are Irish, Australian, English, Finnish, Polish and American and bring different approaches in terms of style, arrangement, instruments and sources of inspiration. This collection also highlights ITMA’s remit to collect traditional music in a broad and inclusive way reflective of each generation of performers.
Steve Larkin, fiddle, & Mick Kinsella, harmonica & concertina.
Steve Larkin & Mick Kinsella,
Larkin & Kinsella SLMK001, 2015. CD. Track 9: An ghaoth sa bhiobhóg, hornpipe; Cornphíopa Shraith Salach / composed by Mick Kinsella
'‘‘An ghaoth sa bhiabhóg’’ was composed while transfixed by the mammoth leaves of a rhubarb plant in the ornate gardens of Sham’s Place, Harold’s Cross’ while ‘’Cornphíopa Shraith Salach’’ was written on the road to Letterfrack, Co. Galway, amidst the rugged beauty of The Twelve Bens.’ (from CD liner notes)
Josie Nugent, fiddle, stroh violin, piano, & Various, instrumental music,
Modal citizen,
Nugent JNBS002, 2016. CD.
Track 7: First flight, air / composed by Josie Nugent
'‘First flight’ was Josie Nugent’s first composition for fiddle!'
Notify, instrumental group,
Inconcept, Notify, 2016. Digital download.
Track 5: Reverie, instrumental music / composed by Pádraig Rynne, Cillian King & Cormac McCarthy
Ye Vagabonds, vocal & instrumental group,
Rose & briar,
Ye Vagabonds 2015. CD & digital download.
Track 4: Pomegranate, song / composed by Brían Mac Gloinn
Gráinne Brady, fiddle, Ireland, & Tina Jordan Rees, piano, flute, tin whistle,
High spirits,
Brady & Jordan Rees GTR001, 2015. CD & digital download.
Track 4: Postman Pa, polka / composed by Tina Jordan Rees ; The potter's wheel, polka / composed by Gráinne Brady ; The cat's mother, polka / composed by Tina Jordan Rees
‘’Postman Pa’ is Tina’s dad who works for Royal Mail. ‘The potter’s wheel’ belongs to Steph Baxter, a mad potter. ‘The cat’s mother’ is after the saying ‘Who’s she? The cat’s mother?’’ (from CD liner notes)
Kevin Rowsome, uilleann pipes,
Cuisle cheol na bpíob = The musical pulse of the pipes,
Rowsome KELEROCD161, 2016. CD.
Track 12: The very man, reel ; The bee in the bonnet, reel / composed by Kevin Rowsome
Aislinn Gagliardi, harp,
The thin place,
Gagliardi n.n., 2015. CD & digital download.
Track 3: The thin place, air / composed by Aislinn Gagliardi ; Paddy Fahy's, reel / composed by Paddy Fahy ; Mason's apron, reel [traditional]
Track 11: Ouch it’s Francie, reel / composed by Caoimhín Vallely ; The yellow tinker, reel / traditional
Barrett, Veronica, singing in English,
When the roses bloom again,
Barrett, 2015. CD.
Track 1. Ireland’s lovely shore / composed by Veronica Barrett
Noone, Matthew, sarode, & Tommy Hayes, bodhrán,
AnTara: the space between,
Noone & Hayes OPP6, [2015]. CD & Digital download.
Track 4: Junior's lament, air ; Caisleán an óir, hornpipe / composed by Junior Crehan ; Heron jig / composed by Matthew Noone ; Raga Asawari, air / traditional
Oisín Mac Diarmada, fiddle, & Samantha Harvey, piano, dance,
The green branch,
Musical Ireland CPCD004, 2015. CD & Digital download.
Track 6: Veronica McNamara’s barndance ; The professor, reel ; Charlie Dolan’s, reel / composed by Oisín Mac Diarmada.
'This selection of tunes was composed for the Transatlantic Connections Fleadh Cheoil 2015 Tribute Concert to commemorate 100 years since James Morrison emigrated from Sligo.' (from CD liner notes)
Lorcán Mac Mathúna, singing in Irish & English, & various, instrumental,
The arrows that murder sleep,
Mac Mathúna LMM15001, 2015. CD & digital download.
Track 1: The arrows that murder sleep, song / composed by Lorcán MacMathúna & Martin Tourish
Des Cafferkey, bagpipes, flute, tin whistle, Ireland, & Various, instrumental music,
Trad with a twist,
Cafferkey ZEDCD14, 2014. CD.
Track 5: Courting at the crossroads, waltz / composed by Des Cafferkey
Track 8: Hatchet field, waltz / composed by Danny Diamond ; Rintalan Heikin, polska [traditional]